Part 16: Chapter 3C (5)

Duwain just isn't as useful right now because he's a Guest, so he's sitting this one out. I also swap out Wylfred's Icicle Plate for a spare Chaimail I bought - that Fire weakness is not going to be helpful this fight.





150 Sin required, 300 Sin target, four enemies, including Lieselotte. While there are only three regular enemies they are all new and quite tough, so this is when players need to really start learning when to hold off on Soul Crushes to avoid killing enemies at the wrong time.

The first thing we do is shuffle everyone forward since we can't hit anything yet.



Rosea Guard Reinforces herself because she's Rosea and everyone wants to kill her.



However, the one enemy that does reach us goes after Darius instead. Typical. Also, as always enemies hit hard. Lieselotte pretty much won't go after us till we go after her, so that's one safety at least.




There are two Living Armor on the map. Solid amount of health and very high ATK, and it's made worse by one other trait - Knights block with a very high frequency, often rendering random attacks useless, and can seriously screw up you landing that hit you need or a combo.

While we're here though, there are three ways to get around blocking. The first are spells, which can't be blocked. There are also some attacks that are unblockable, though we don't have any characters with those right now. Thirdly, striking an enemy from behind is usually safe enough for them not to block it.





'Serious fight music' plays even on regular enemies here.

As Darius demonstrates their propensity for blocking. That means I don't get to faze it to prevent a retaliation, either.



To Darius' detriment.



Okay, take two...



Much better.



Bless that Elemental Edge-fueled Reign of Terror.





Metal Greaves are solid metal legwear - they'll save us a bit of OTH at our next shop.




Daemons are upgraded Ghouls from way back in the tutorial chapter. They don't hit quite as hard as the Knights, and they're resistant to Darkness and weak to Holy. Have a decent RST, so any spells that aren't Sacred Javelin aren't going to hit as hard as we'd like.





They also take a bit of wearing down to do. I could use Darius' or Wylfred's Soul Crush but I don't want to risk accidentally killing it.



The annoying aspect of Daemons is that their attacks have a high frequency of Curse. This isn't quite as bad as the Ocypetes' paralysis attack but still frustrating enough.



It's not that big of a deal when another enemy initiates another attack and kills the Cursed character though.



Revive Darius, everyone moves in to attack. There was a small quandry on my part since I couldn't move Gwendal such that he could attack both the Daemon and the second Living Armor, so I decided to settle for saving him for the Living Armor since the Daemon was half dead already.



Somehow, I underestimate how much damage I actually need to fill up its Sin gauge.



Nnnnope, not gonna make it.



Another sin for which I must repent.

It's still somewhat acceptable, I just need to get a decent amount from Lieselotte herself. Luckily she's a Sorcerer who are kinda squishy anyway...



Reduce Magic can be handy in some fights. When equipped as a technique they halve all magic damage automatically. Useful on the few fights where you're facing lots of Sorcerers or a Sorcerer boss.



Let's see how far we can take its health down...



That's either going to help me or doom me terribly.



Cutting it close, but just barely avoided killing it while using just Rosea's Soul Crush.



Enemies love to go after any ally with low health or that can't counterattack, though they prefer the former. Time to use another Union Plume on Darius.



Now we can finish it.



Crystals are always good - I'd like more but our party isn't really suited for crystal generation right now. Duwain will be great for this once we can customize him, however.




We move everyone forward, while Lieselotte decides now would be a great time to hit us with a menu spell through the walls.



Poison Blow is the Earth elemental spell. It's pretty crappy as a main attacking spell since it just deals straightforward damage with the only additional effect being a generous 50% chance of Poison. Not a terrible menu spell though.

Wylfred gets Poisoned, but Gwendal luckily doesn't.



Everyone moves forward, Darius heals Wylfred of his Poison, and I decide to try something I've never done before in any of my playthroughs.



Huh, I didn't even know the range on Talismans were so big.



Just being wary - Liese uses Fire Storm as her spell and she uses her Soul Crush often, so while I could just Union Plume spam I'd like to see if I can survive one.



Liese runs away into the corner, but she doesn't have Dash like we do.





I could attack again using Gwendal, but... I decide not to, just yet. I want to make sure I can get that 50 Sin I need for that quota.



So instead, I decide to use Gwendal's turn on throwing this onto Wylfred. Hopefully Liese doesn't kill him, since that'll nullify the effect.



...You know, I wanted to show off Liese's voice as well as wanting to see if Wyl could survive her attack, but even when the game is being kind by not killing anybody, it doesn't cooperate.

They all live, by the way.



Not having Dash is making Rosea a serious drag - she can't even hit Liese from here with her normal attack.

Incidentally, it's impossible to attack Liese here without her retaliating unless you faze her - the only unit that can outdistance Sorcerers are Archers, and we've already sacrificed Cheripha.



So she settles for hitting her from range with a menu Sacred Javelin.



Darius does a solo assault on Liese, to chip at her a little more.



Alright, I think we'll be fine.





As poetic as it would be to have Rosea kill Lieselotte herself, I have no patience for Dash-less guests.



Actually, that Might Potion might have been unneeded.



Well, I always have Might Reinforce, so it's not like it'll be sorely missed.



How could it end this way...



I think maybe all that OTH is the bounty on her head? Heaven knows we're never told where it's coming from.





Two more copies of Martyr's Cry (still useless) and the Sacred Javelin gem are the base rewards here. for 225 Sin we get three nice rewards - Encirclement warps the user behind the target enemy - very nice for Warriors, though the limited range of the skill hampers it somewhat. Crystal Call is a technique that raises Crystals generated by that character - it'll be great for Duwain if we decide to use him permanently. Two more Expert's Experiences are the icing on top of the cake.

And for the best stuff, the Raijoudou is out of place - 70 ATK, three attacks, SC enabled and 150% damage to undead sound nice, but we'll have better bows by the time we get another controllable Archer. Fortunately the other two are better - the Holy Rod has a whopping 320 MAG and is of course SC enabled, perfect for Rosea. The other reward is two copies of Diminish Missile, which is like Reduce Magic but for projectiles. Aside from all archer attacks, a surprising number of assorted attacks are projectiles, which make it a very useful technique and for only 10 CP.


---

Can I say I really wish, once again, this next part was voiced? The woes of underbudgeting.



Artolia's royal court is torn over which prince will succeed to the throne.

The claim of the younger Prince Kristoff, son of the queen consort, is contested by the elder Prince Langrey, born of a noblewoman.

Tradition entitles the younger prince to the crown, but the elder has designs of his own.

He plots the demise of the crown prince for his ascension. Not to be outdone, the crown prince dispatches agents of his own, myself included.

Would they truly shed the blood they share?

If only it ended there! Make no mistake - their feud will ravage the realm. War is coming.



Thousands of lives would be saved at the cost of one. Peace and order would reign once more.

And yet you would condemn me for wanting this?

...

I act in the interests of my people! There can be no wrong in that. Would you not agree, Rosea?

Lady Rosea, what say you?

...







Lady Rosea?





...





Ro...sea...?

Gods!



What have I done?

Lady Rosea! H-how could you-?

I just... could not... forgive her.

She wove deception upon deception, giving no thought to those whose lives she ruined.

She was justifying murder! I could not let her persist in professing her evil deeds as virtue!

Rosea...

Now you see me for the monster I am. I can don the mask of a saintess no longer.

...

A slave to wrath, I have committed a sin that cannot be undone.



If reason tells you that is so, then I shall walk beside you wherever that path may lead.



...



Aye.

Then I entreat you to take Lady Rosea and me along.

Deicide seems a fitting cause on the path to self-destruction. I may even die a worthy death.

Lady Rosea, to you I owe my soul. My life is the least I can give in return.

Oh, Duwain...





---



Our spies have identified her as a swindler from the streets of Crell Monferaigne by the name of Lieselotte.

It matters not!

Begging Your Highness's pardon-

We are at war! That fool Kristoff answered the declaration!

The urgent tidings the herald spoke of...

My idiot brother... You know not what you've done, but soon you will!




Age: 18
Gender: Female
Homeland: Artolia
Height: 155cm
Weight: 44kg
Bust/Waist/Hip: 80/57/81

Raised in the church house on whose steps she was left as an infant, Rosea was blessed with the gift of mystical powers from an early age. Her gifts did not go unnoticed by the royal court, and once of age, she was promptly summoned to serve as court magus.

After controversy forced her from her post, Rosea chose to roam Artolia's lands, bringing vital relief to its impoverished peasantry. In gratitude and reverence, the people have dubbed her "the Saintess Rosea."





Rosea offical render.